Slack-adjuster for railway-brakes.



W. H. SAUVAGE. SLACK ADJUSTER FOR RAILWAY BRAKES. APPLICATION FILED APR.27. 1914.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.-

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W. W. SAUVAGE;

S LACK ADJUSTER FOR RAILWAY BRAKES.

APPLICARION FILED APR. 27. 1914.

1,177,218. Patented Mar.28,1916

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ZJ g7 iiiilmmw 2 AT FWD WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, OF NEW .rYORK. N. Y.. ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE'ASSIGNMENTS, TO GOULD COUPLER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SLACK-ADJUSTER FOR RAILWAY-BRAKES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in black-Adjusters for Railway-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to slack adjusters for railway brakes, and with regard to certain more specific features thereof to automatic slack adjusters particularly adapted for use in connection with the air brake systems of railway cars.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an automatic slack adjuster which will be self-contained and automatic in its operation.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of the above character insuring uniform prei'letermined piston travel, whichwill be simple and practical in construction.

A further object is to provide a slack adjuster of the above mentioned type which will be cheap to manufacture, reliable in operation, and equal in every way to the demands placed thereon by varying conditions of use.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, the combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the appli-. cation of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown one of the various possible embodiments of the present invention,Figure 1 represents a plan view of the complete apparatus in normal position; Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts in actuated position; Fig. 3 'is a slightly enlarged view of the tele scopic push bar; Fig. 4 represents a sec-.

tional end view of the shim box; Fig. 5 is a detail view of one end of the automatic adjusting rod and associated parts; Fig. 6 is a similar view of the opposite end of said rod; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the parts of the push rod.

Similar reference characters are applied to corresponding parts in the several views of the drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

As above pointed out, the present invention is directed to automatic slack adjusters and will hereinafter be described in its application to the brake rigging adjacent the air brake cylinder located usually in the center of the car, but other applications are Within the scope of my invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, an air brake cylinder 10 is located centrally with respect to the longitudinal and transverse dimensions of the car and preferably beneath the car floor, being secured thereto in any desired manner; To one end 11 of this brake cylinder is pivotally secured one of the cylinder levers 12 which will hereinafter be referred to for convenience as the dead lever. To the end of the piston rod 13, reciprocating within the cylinder, is pivoted at the point 14, the co-acting cylinder lever 15 which will hereinafter be referred to as the live lever. The opposite or free ends of these levers 16 and 17, respectively, are connected with the tie rods 18 and 20, the opposite ends of which are connected with the brake rigging of the trucks at the opposite ends of the car. As the truck brake rigging may be of any well known and desired type, it is believed to be unnecessary in describing the operation of the present invention to refer to this mechanism in detail or to illustrate it in the drawing. It is sufficient to state that in the operation of applying the brakes the tie rods 18 and 20 move toward each other as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1.

Thelive and dead levers 15 and 12, respectively, are levers of the first order. that is, the fulcrum is positioned intermediate the weight and power arms. The fulcrum. in the present case, consists of a pivot pin 21 on the live lever 15 to which is connected one end of a two-part telescopic tension member 22. The opposite dead lever 15 is provided with a pivot pin 23 rigidly secured to the dead lever, but loosely mounted in a longitudinally disposed slot 24 in the tension member 22 for the purpose of permitting relative movement between the pivots 21 and 23 as may be necessary to insure constant and uniform piston travel during the application of the brakes and wearing of the brake shoes.

At the end of the telescopic tension memher 22 is positioned a shim box 25 adapted to contain a plurality of relatively thin T- shaped non-rusting shims, as shown in Fig. 1. These shims are adapted to be engaged when in lowered dotted line position by the ends of a bifurcated plunger 26 of the telescopic tension member to form a substantially straight line of action and re-action. This part 26 which operates between the members 22 and within the shim box 25,215 shown more clearly in Fig. 3, is carried by the dead lever 12 and as it moves relativelv toward the right during the wear of the brake shoes. as will hereinafter more fully be explained, the T-shaped shims 27 carried on the bifurcated upper surface will drop down between the effective ends of the member 26 and the adjacent end wall of the shim box.

Intermediate the-fulcrums of the live and dead levers and their free ends is positioned an automatic adjusting rod 30. This rod is supported at one end in a U-shaped frame 31, pivotally connected or swiveled at 32 to the live lever 15. The U-shaped frame has a predetermined amount of lost motion or play intermediate a stop or nut 33 carried at one endof the adjusting rod and an adjustable clamp 34 at the opposite side of the U- frame. This lost motion is substantially equal or proportional to the piston travel and is sufficient to insure a proper application of the brakes. The opposite end of this adjusting rod 30 is mounted in a similarly shaped U-frame 34:, as shown in detail in Fig. 6, s'wiveled at the point 35 to the dead lever. There is, however, one marked distinction in that the U-frame 34' is provided with a clutch take-up member 37, normally held in clutched relation by means of a coiled spring 38, supported on the rod 30. These parts are so positioned and arranged as to permit the clutch adjusting rod 30 to pass freely toward the left, but prevent its normal movement in the opposite direction. The opening in the clutch member 37 being but slightly larger than the diameter of the rod 30 will firmly grip the same when such movement is attempted.

Referring now to the operation of this device, assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 1, when the brakes are applied the piston in the cylinder 10 will move toward the right to the position shown in Fig.

2. This movement will cause the live anddead levers to turn on their fulcrum points and draw the tie rods 18 and 20 toward each .30 a complete return cannot be made until the effective length of the push bar 22 is shortened. This shortening is permitted in part by the pin and slot connection 23 and 24 between the dead lever 12 and the tension member 22 which movement will cause the member 26 .to move relatively toward the right and allow one or more shims to drop between its effective end and the end wall of the shim box; The device is then ready for its subsequent operations, the pivot points 21 and 23 having moved relatively toward each other will allow the some predetermined. amount of piston travel when next applying the brakes. As the brake shoes wear down the take-up operation is repeated automatically from time to time as may be necessary.

By referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the shim box 25 is provided in its underside with a slot 40 into which the tongues of the shims drop, as shown by the dotted lines. When new brake shoes are applied which. would, of course, require a readjustment of the brake rigging, the shims are raised by inserting a fiat .key against the projecting tongues of the shims in the slot 40 and the parts of the telescopic tension member are moved toward each other, thereby replacing the shims in proper position on top of the bifurcated member 26.

It will thus be seen, from the above description, that the present invention relates to a simple and practical device adapted to accomplish, among others, all the objects and advantages above set forth.

The construction is reliable and eflicient in operation and by positively inserting solid members between the effective ends of the tension member, the device overcomes objections that might arise if. friction clutches and pawl and ratchet mechanisms were used which might become ineffective under certain atmospheric conditions and heavy shocks due to emergency action of the brakes. In the present device, the parts are so protected and formed as to eliminate this element from consideration of their practicability.

As many changes could'be made in theabove construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, cylinder levers, telescopic means connecting said levers between their ends, comprising one member fitting entirely Within the other, means connecting the-free ends of said levers with the truck brake rigging, adjusting means connecting the same ends permitting limited separation without actuation, and a plurality of solid members-adapted to be interposed between the eifective ends of said telescopic means as the free ends of said levers move apart on the release of thepiston and take up the wear of the brake shoes and thereby insure predetermined piston travel.

2. In an apparatus o fthe character described, in combination, cylinder levers connected at their free ends with the truck brake rigging, a two-part telescopic tension member connecting said levers, one part including a shim box and the other a member adapted to Work therein, a plurality of solid members adapted to be progressively interposed between a wall of said shim box and across the end of the member working therein to form a solid abutment and a straight line of action and reaction at all times, and means connecting those ends of the cylinder levers connected with the truck brake rigging adapted to permit limited movement of said levers for controlling the progressive introduction of said intervening solid members according to the wear of the brake shoes.

3. In an apparatus of the character de-' scribed. in combination, cylinder levers having their free ends connected with the brake rigging, a two-part tension member therebetween adapted to form fulcrums for said cylinder levers said tension member comprising one part forming a covered shim box within which the other is adapted to act, means for changing the relative loca tion of said fulcrums and shims adapted to be interposed between the end wall of the shim box and the end surface of saidtension member progressively as saidfulcrums move apart on release of the piston.

4. In an apparatus of the character described. in combination, cylinder levers, a two-part tension member comprising one member fitting entirely within the other and together forming fulcrums for said cylinder levers. means connecting the free ends of said levers adapted to act as the brake shoes wear to adiust and permanently change the relative location of the fulcrums with respect to each other on the release of the pistons. and a plurality of solid members adapted to be progressively interposed between the ends of the two parts of said tension member according to the wear of the brake shoes in order to insure a predetermined piston travel.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, floating and cylinder levers connected at one end through the cylinder and provided at their other adjacent ends With a lost motion adjusting rod, a two-part tension member between said levers, a shim box associated with one of said parts, and a plurality of T-shaped shims in said box adapted to be interposed between the effective ends of said tension member.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, cylinder levers the opposite ends of said levers being connected respectively by an adjustingrod and an actuating cylinder, a two-part tension member connectingthe central parts of said levers and adapted to act as fulcrums therefor, a covered shim box carried by one of said parts, a plurality of solid flat shims normally resting on the upper surface of the other of said parts operating within said shim box and adapted to progressively drop between the end wall of said shim box and across the end of the part upon which they formerly rested thereby to form a solid line of action and reaction at the points of contact Where the strain is taken up.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, in' combination, cylinder levers the opposite ends of said levers being connected respectively by an adjusting rod and an actuating cylinder, a two-part tension member therebetween, a shim box carried by one part, T-shaped shim normally resting on the bifurcated end of one of said ,parts adapted to progressively drop between the end wall of the shim box and the effective end of said bifurcated part, said shim box having a slot in the lower part into which said shims drop whereby they may be engaged by a key and raised upwardly to normal position as the said tension member is returned to normal position.

opposite ends of said levers being connected,

respectively by an adjusting rod and an actuating cylinder, a two-part telescopic tension member connecting the central parts of said cylinder levers, one part working entirely within the other, a plurality of solid flat shims adapted to drop across the end of one of said parts to form a straight solid line of action and re-action, and tie rods connecting the ends of said cylinder levers with the brake rigging.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, cylinder levers, a two-part tension member connecting the central parts of said cylinder levers. one of said parts having a pin and slot connection with one of said levers, tie rods connecting the ends of said cylinder levers with the brake rigging, and an automatic adjusting rod adjacent said tie rods, said automatic adjusting rod being swiveled to each of said levers.

10. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, in combination,cylinder levers, a two-part tension member connecting the central parts of said cylinder levers, tie rods connecting the ends of said cylinder levers with the brake rigging, an automatic adjusting rod adjacent said tie rods, said automatic adjusting rod being swiveled to each of said levers, and a clutch associated with one of the swivel connections.

11. In an apparatus of the character described. in combination, cylinder levers, a two-part tension member connecting the central parts of said cylinder levers, one of said parts working within the other, a plurality of solid flat shims adapted to drop progressively across the end of one ofsaid members formerly abutting against the effective end of the other, tie rods connecting the ends of said cylinder levers with the brake rigging, and an automatic adjusting,

rod adjacent said tie rods, said automatic adjusting rod being swiveled to each of said levers, and a clutch adapted to permitsaid tension member to move in one direction only under normal operation.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, cylinder levers, a two-part tension member connecting the central parts of said cylinder levers, tie rods connecting the ends of said cylinder levers with the brake rigging, and an automatic adjusting rod adjacent said tie rods, said automatic adjusting rod being mounted in U-frames carried by the cylinder levers, and means associated with one of said U-frames adapted to permit movement of said adjusting rod in one direction only.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, cylinder levers, a two-part tension member connecting the central parts of said cylinder levers, tie rods connecting the ends of said cylinder levers with the brake rigging, an automatic adjusting rod adjacent said tie rods, said tie rod having a swiveled connection at one end with one of said levers. and a lost motion device independent of the swiveled connection permitting a predetermined amount of travel of said lever before actuating the automatic adjusting rod.

14:. In an appantus of the character described. in combination, a pair of cylinder levers of the first order, a telescopic tension member connected. therewith forming fulcrums for said levers, anautomatic adjusting rod connected with the free ends of said levers. U-irames carried by said levers through which the ends of said adjusting rod have a slight movement, and means associated with one of said frames adapted to permit movement in one direction only.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a pair of cylinder levers of the first order, a telescopic tension member connected therewith, forming fulcrums for said levers, solid members adapted to be interposed between the efiective ends of said tension membe' as the relative location of the fulcrum points is changed, an automatic adjusting rod near the free ends of said levers, and independently swiveled supporting members for connecting the rod thereto, one of said members having a clutching and the other a lost motion connection with said rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SAUVAGE.

Vitnesses:

J A. RABER, P. A. BLAIR. 

